


A Witcher's Best Friend

by LenaLawlipop



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:28:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27573115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LenaLawlipop/pseuds/LenaLawlipop
Summary: Jaskier, perhaps for the first and last time of his life, hears something before Geralt does.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 17
Kudos: 127
Collections: The Witcher Flash Fic Challenge #010





	A Witcher's Best Friend

Jaskier, perhaps for the first and last time of his life, hears something before Geralt does. 

The reason is simple, really... Geralt is riding Roach, so it's not _too_ odd when he misses the sound of another set of hooves trotting towards them. Jaskier doesn't, though. 

He turns around, surprising Geralt, but as soon as they both locate the source of the sound, they're both grinning. At least, they're grinning until the wild mare currently trotting to meet them, tries to jump over a fence and breaks it in her impatience. Jaskier bursts out laughing, while Geralt sighs. If he listens properly, he can hear the owner of the parcel yelling at the mare for her outburst.

It's his previous Roach, of course.

She ignores the ruckus she's caused, quick to walk up to them and neigh impatiently, so nervous she almost steps on Jaskier multiple times as he kisses her snout, or tries to. If horses could laugh, she would be laughing just as much as the human. Geralt can't help the smile spreading through his own face. Roach soon manages to pry Jaskier off of her, though, raising on her hind legs enough that Jaskier has to step back or be stomped on. It finally draws a laugh from Geralt, and Roach turns her head to him, now calm, a hint of pride in her intelligent brown eyes. Geralt dismounts his new Roach, who seems entirely uninterested in the proceedings. 

He'd left this Roach behind a year ago, after years together on the Path. Her age was starting to slow her down, and she deserved the rest, so Geralt had sold her. He hadn't expected to ever see her again, not really...

She stays perfectly still as he approaches her, raising his arms to cross them around her neck, and when he's sufficiently close, she hooks her head over his shoulder. Geralt closes his eyes, an odd sensation prickling behind them. His too-slow heart thumps in his chest, stronger, almost quicker. Roach huffs, gently, and he pats her neck.

"Hey, girl," he murmurs. 

He has a reputation for not having a single emotional bone in his body, he reminds himself. He won't cry because his old horse broke a fence in her hurry to meet him, when she spotted him in the distance. 

A sniff startles him from not far away, moments later. He rolls his eyes. Jaskier, of course. 

Roach and Jaskier had needed some time to get along, not for lack of trying from the bard. Once they had, however, she had learned to match both of their energies to perfection. She was wild, and rambunctious, whenever Jaskier was around. All nervous energy and cheekiness. On the other hand, she was cool and collected whenever Geralt talked to her. She looked at him calmly, listened to his words almost as if she could understand him. They both loved her for that.

Sometimes, though, when things got dangerous, she would be the one to pull Geralt out of a fight, a frantic gleam in her eye that wasn't normally there when Geralt was around. By the same token, Geralt has seen her more than once listening to Jaskier's music, and his quiet confessions, when they both thought Geralt wasn't looking. It was one of those occasions, many years back, when Geralt first heard the bard say the words 'I love you'. He remembers it well, and as he pulls away to run his fingers through her mane, and look at her in the eye, he’s sure she remembers as well.

It had been the end of the summer. They were low on coin, and Jaskier was tired, so they had decided to settle for the night. The weather was hot, but not too humid, and they had camped in a clearing not too far from their next city. Geralt had left them together in the clearing to go hunt for their dinner. He had come back after a while, guided by the soft, melodic sounds of Jaskier’s lute, and voice.

He'd stopped before Geralt could walk into the clearing, scaring him a little at the abrupt pause. He’d only relaxed seconds later, when the bard had sighed, and started talking to Roach.

"You wouldn't have this problem, Roachie," he had told her, his voice so quiet that Geralt had needed to step closer, risking being caught. Roach was sitting, surprisingly, and Jaskier was leaning against her side. "He tells you he loves you all the time, I've heard it. When he thinks I'm not around, and I can't see him brushing out your mane. You lucky girl..."

It had been enough to speed Geralt's damned witcher heart, but it still had felt like nothing compared to what Jaskier had said immediately after.

"You don't know this, he wouldn't let your innocence be tainted like this, but he kissed me once," Jaskier had told her, apparently uncaring that _he_ might taint her innocence. "I was drunk off my ass, and I must have asked for it... Or not. I can't quite remember. But I know he kissed me, and he never talked about it again. Oh, but I remember... Ahh, Roachie. Ignorance is bliss, isn't it... How I wish I didn't know what his mouth tastes like, if I can't tell him I love him so..."

He'd trailed off into silence, and Roach had whinnied, her head tilting to the side to headbutt Jaskier, who had simply laughed and wiped a few tears. All across the clearing, and hidden by some trees, Geralt had been able to scent the longing in him, hear it in his words, in his heavy heartbeat.

When he’d chanced a look, Roach had lifted her head, and had stared straight at him. 

It was the first time Geralt had seen her curled around the bard so protectively, and it had been such a shock he still remembers it to this day.

She doesn't say anything as he thinks back, staring at her. She does, however, look around when her current owner stomps into view, complaining about the fence. He shuts up soon enough upon spotting the witcher, though. Geralt raises his hands.

"We'll repair your fence," he tells him, conciliatory, before the human can argue. The man simply looks at Roach, and nods.

"Your old horse has a temper, did you know that, witcher? Skittish girl, this one."

"Roach has... seen many things," Geralt offers, jumping to her defense before Jaskier can even think of an answer. "She's accustomed to waking up with sudden sounds, and having to be on her feet quickly."

"I suppose that's what a life of danger brings," the man agrees. He sighs, looking at his fence. "I have extra wooden boards... You're bringing them out here, though, since she broke them just to see you."

Geralt doesn't answer, but he nods. Jaskier giggles.

"I'll stay here with the horses, then. I'll make sure no other little horsies escape," he promises. Geralt isn't sure _how_ he intends to keep that promise, but it seems to be enough to convince the other human. 

"You're the bard, the one with the witcher songs, aren't you? My family's a big fan."

"Ah! Thank you, that's right, I am Jaskier the bard," Jaskier bows, and the man laughs.

"Jon," he introduces himself. He looks at the horizon for a moment, then back at them. "We ain't got much, but I'm sure we could arrange you somewhere to sleep, if you don't have a bed for the night. It's late."

Jaskier smiles brightly, but he makes sure to check with Geralt before he agrees. Geralt nods, patting Roach's flank. At this, Jaskier brightens even more, and even Jon has to laugh at his renewed enthusiasm as he accepts his offer. 

"Roach, and Roach," Jaskier introduces the horses to each other as Geralt follows Jon to retrieve new boards. The man chuckles, but doesn't ask. Geralt turns around.

Jaskier has sat atop one of the intact fence boards, enough to be of a height with the mares, who are both nosing at him, his doublet, his hands. Geralt is sure he's been hiding sugar cubes for a while now, but as the sun catches in something shiny in Jaskier's hand, the breeze making his hair sway along with the tall grass around the wooden posts, he can't bring himself to scold him for it.

The previous Roach never got to see it, he thinks idly, but she seems to appreciate the ring Jaskier now wears, proudly. The sunset makes it look even more golden than it already is, and Geralt can't help but smile. Roach, the older one, tries to nip at it. Jaskier barely manages to move his hand away, and his laughter echoes in Geralt's ears.

"Oh, that's right! Oh, Geralt also wouldn't tell you about this, would he... Don't worry, that's what I'm here for! A mare needs her gossip now and then, right, Roachie?" he coos. Roach snorts, startling the younger one. Jaskier laughs some more, and lurches forward to hook his arms around her. "Oh, I've missed you, you demon horse."

Geralt turns around again to catch up with Jon, feeling an uncomfortable heat climb up his face. Witchers rarely ever blush, and he refuses to cry, but he thinks Jon seems surprised enough to find him smiling softly.

Damn Jaskier, and damn Roach too. 

He's not going to have a reputation left to uphold if they keep making him happy like this, goddamnit.


End file.
